[libreplanet-discuss] please promote the TALOS libre workstation

[Leah Rowe]

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Hi all,

TALOS uses the IBM POWER8 platform, which performance-wise is
equivalent to the latest server-grade Intel platforms. The difference:
it's *fully* free software, with free initialization firmware
("free/opensource BIOS" as some might call it), with fully Free
Software driver support in GNU+Linux distributions.

POWER8 CPUs are typically used in high-end servers sold by tyan,
supermicro etc. Raptor has squashed it down to workstation size (using
standard ATX form factor, which means the boards+CPU can be used with
any standard ATX case+PSU, with standard RAM modules).

For the first time in history, we are seeing an OEM manufacturing
hardware with Libreboot, a free boot program, and a fully free
GNU+Linux distribution, from the factory, by default. This has never
been done before, and if this project is successful, it will be a
major milestone for both the Free and Open Source software movements.
It will seriously boost the credibility of both concepts, because for
the first time there will be something people can actually buy from a
manufacturer, that meets these standards.

TALOS is going to come preinstalled with libreboot, which is a fully
free/opensource hardware initialization program ("BIOS replacement")
for setting up the hardware, and loading a bootloader which starts an
operating system. I'm the lead developer of libreboot and its founder,
and I've been working with Raptor for quite some time (since last
year). TALOS will also come with a version of GNU+Linux installed,
with fully free driver support in the kernel.

Raptor Engineering (the company behind TALOS) wants to sell it as a
workstation, for professional users and organisations, but also
individuals.

I ask that you all back their crowd funding campaign, if you haven't
already. The campaign is here:

https://www.crowdsupply.com/raptor-computing-systems/talos-secure-workst
ation

This is an important project for the future of free, secure computing
which is trustworthy by users. Newer hardware from Intel and AMD is
becoming increasingly locked down, with signed firmware which takes
over different parts of what used to be handled by the Linux kernel.
Eventually, it might not even be possible to use a free operating
system (e.g. GNU+Linux) with x86 and other platforms, so it's very
important for the future of the Free Software movement as a whole that
this campaign succeeds.

This is beneficial to companies and organisations which need data
privacy, and security from outside intrusion. Modern Intel and AMD
processors are sold openly with backdoors and other security issues
these days. See:

https://libreboot.org/faq/#intel
https://libreboot.org/faq/#amd

Please help us make free, private and secure computing on high-end
hardware possible!

- -- 
Leah Rowe

Libreboot developer

Use free software. Free as in freedom.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_software

Use a free operating system, GNU+Linux.
https://libreboot.org/docs/distros/
Or BSD:
https://libreboot.org/docs/bsd/

Use a free BIOS.
https://libreboot.org/

Support computer user freedom.
https://peers.community/

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